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Alex Hornibrook needs to limit the turnovers if Wisconsin wants to make the CFP
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Earlier this week, Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook stated that he isn’t listening to any outside criticism. He isn’t checking Twitter mentions, going through countless of forum posts or Facebook comments.
While Hornibrook stated that he is blocking the outside noises, he certainly understands why Badger fans are chirping about his play. He has thrown nine interceptions this season, which is the third-most among B1G quarterbacks and tied for 11th most in the FBS. Plus, eight of those picks have come in conference play.
On the plus side, #Badgers QB Alex Hornibrook now has his inexplicable weekly interception out of the way.
— Tom Oates (@TomOatesWSJ) October 28, 2017
Hornibrook typically one or two and sometimes three “oopsy” plays per game. A errant throw that results in an interception, possibly a fumble, something that puts a damper on an otherwise decent performance. And moving foward, Wisconsin needs Hornibrook to cut down on those type of plays if it wants to make the College Football Playoffs this season.
When it comes to playoffs, it would be safe to assume that if the Badgers do in fact win out (they are 9-0 currently), they’ll be in. But that’s not the case.
Analysts around the country have said that Wisconsin hasn’t played anybody of significance this year. That’s true. It only has one win over a top-25, which was a victory over the Northwestern Wildcats.
Since the Badgers haven’t played anyone that is noteworthy, if they want to make the final four, they need to dominate their competition. And Wisconsin hasn’t done that this year.
In B1G play, the Badgers squeaked out a win over the Purdue Boilermakers and it took toward the end of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Maryland Terrapins, the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Indiana Hoosiers to make those wins convincing. With the Iowa game coming up, Hornibrook definitely needs to cut down on mistakes.
Last weekend, Ohio State signal caller J.T. Barrett traveled to Iowa City with a résumé that included 25 touchdowns, just one interception and a completion rate of 69.5 percent in eight games this season. At the end of the game, Barrett’s numbers were three touchdowns and four interceptions against the Hawkeyes.
Iowa safety Amani Hooker intercepted Barrett’s first pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown just 8 seconds into the game, and corner Joshua Jackson intercepted three passes. Barrett finished with 208 passing yards in the 55-24 loss to Iowa. That was his second-lowest total of the season. So imagine what the Iowa secondary can do to a turnover prone Hornibrook.
Despite the interceptions, other statistics show that Hornibrook show a quarterback who has actually developed into one of the better playmakers in the conference. His pass-efficiency rating of 158.3 ranks second in the B1G behind Barrett and No. 12 in the FBS.
Plus, Hornibrook has a 64.4 percent completion rate which ranks fourth in the B1G behind Barrett, Indiana’s Peyton Ramsey and Purdue’s David Blough. That mark also ranks No. 26 in the nation. Hornibrook has thrown for 1,728 yards with 15 touchdowns.
However, some say Hornibrook is just the product of Wisconsin’s offense that thrives on strong play from its offensive line and running backs and requires little from its quarterback. But, he’s accurate most of the time, and he can be clutch on third down passes in moving the chains. In the red zone, he’s completed over 70 percent of his throws for 12 touchdowns and only one interception. So, Hornibrook definitely has talent.
On Saturday, Wisconsin doesn’t have to completely dominate Iowa because the Hawkeyes are sitting at No. 20 in this week’s playoff polls. A win would give the Badgers that “signature” win. However, against teams like the Michigan Wolverines and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Wisconsin will probably need to flex their muscles and assert its dominance.
Hornibrook probably doesn’t need thousands upon thousands of Badger fans telling him how he needs to cut down on his interceptions. He is the only one who can control his turnover issues. But if he doesn’t get that under control, Hornibrook may cost Wisconsin a chance to play in the playoffs.